Local police looking for 2 different purse snatchers

Area police are on the lookout for thieves involved in two separate recent purse snatchings at local businesses.

In the Kroger parking lot at 850 S. Monroe St., a thief grabbed a woman's purse from inside her car as she struggled to hold on to it.

Monroe County Sheriff's Detective Joe Hammond said the suspect is a white male, standing about 6-foot-2 and weighing around 150 pounds. He was wearing a gray, sleeveless University of Michigan T-shirt and a hat. He may have had blond hair.

Around 9 p.m. on Wednesday the victim, a 71-year-old woman, told police that she put groceries inside the trunk of her car, got in the driver's seat and placed her purse on the passenger side.

Seconds later, someone opened the passenger door and grabbed the purse. The woman held on and refused to let go, yelling for help. Detective Hammond said awallet fell to the pavement and the thief took it and ran.

Two men chased after the suspect, who ran down Cass St. They lost sight of him near Fourth and Fifth Sts. The victim's son later found one of his mother's credit cards on the street at another part of town.

Another purse snatching occurred at the Dollar Store on N. Telegraph Rd. at W. Lorain St., but police do not believe the cases are related because that suspect was described as Hispanic. Monroe police Lt. Gary Werner reported two men were inside a car in the parking lot of the strip mall. One jumped out, grabbed a woman's purse, got back into the car and fled.

Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Hammond at 240-7765. Information about the robbery can be passed along at 243-7502.

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